Everyone knows about the annual SGA spring project. The spring project is a week long project focused on a certain idea that includes a presentation in English classes about the topic, staged scenes in the Commons, a guest speaker and more.

What students may not know is that SGA also has a fall project. The fall project is a relaxed version of the spring project that includes activities during lunch and daily videos on the morning announcements. This year’s fall project, Respect Week, will take place the week of Nov. 11. The fall project coincides with the theme SGA decides the school should take on in the beginning of the year. This year’s theme is Step Up, Speak Up and Create Your Future. So in turn, the fall project is based off the idea of respect.

SGA sponsor Fervonia Cresham said why respect was chosen as the fall project theme. “I want people to know that they can take action. If you think someone is dissing you or another person then you should speak up for yourself. But if you don’t have respect for others, you won’t have respect for yourself. And if you don’t have respect for yourself then you will never be able to step up and speak up if you see something wrong,” Cresham said.

Junior SGA member Iman Idrissa is excited for Respect Week. “We’re going to have a lot of fun games during lunch in the Commons so keep your eyes peeled for those along with the fun prizes. I hope this week shows students that everyone should be respectful to one another and that it is important to show respect to all people,” Idrissa said.

In order for students to succeed in school, good relationships with their teachers as well as other students are vital. Across the nation, respect is declining. According to an article in USA Today, compared with when they were students, [adults] today believe that there’s a lot less respect in the hallways of the nation’s schools.

Junior Rhoda Ndjoukouo, leader of the SGA Respect Committee, has worked hard with fellow committee members to come up with fun ways to get students involved in creating a respectful nature at the school. “By the end of the week I want people to be more respectful towards themselves, their peers and the people around them. There are many things at this school that people do on a day-to-day basis that are not being called out that need to be addressed,” Ndjoukouo said.

Respect Week serves to highlight the importance of treating those around you in a benevolent manner, whether that is teachers, peers, friends, coaches or anyone else you may come into contact with. “[Respect Week] will encourage a culture of kindnessand being nice to one another,” junior SGA Respect Committee member Ellie Esterowitz said.

Whether you are cheering on a teammate during a sporting event, being there for a friend who is going through a tough time or helping a confused classmate out with homework, supporting one another is a huge part of respect. “We want to do a better job at the school of supporting each other,” Esterowitz said.

Respect should be promoted in groups of people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or interests. “We all need to have respect for each other and value our differences and our similarities,” sophomore Anabelle Cho said.

Respect Week will illuminate how students, teachers and other staff members can cultivate a culture of consideration and kindness to one another. “[Respect Week] is important because of all the knowledge
everyone is getting,” Njoukouo said.